Unconventional gas in WA Canning Basin faces opposition

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is known to most Australians for its wild beauty. But it's also rich in minerals, and potentially gas.

The so-called 'tight gas' is locked deep underground in the sandstone layers of the Canning Basin in the Southern Kimberley. Optimistic estimates predict that reserves of unconventional gas could power Western Australia for 500 years.

But it's expensive, there are technical hurdles to overcome, and environmental groups and native title holders oppose the use of chemicals and fracking technology.